The Doctor
by HorcruxCupcake
Summary: Zax My thoughts on how the relationship is revealed. I wanted to upload before they get back together in case they are revealed on screen.
1. Chapter 1

"Max do you want a cup of tea?" Robyn called through the door as Zoe glared daggers at him.

"I could murder one" he said._ 'Typical'_, thought Zoe letting her head fall forwards onto his shoulder to hide her face. '_Why did he have to push everything to the limit?'_

_"_One mug or two?" Max looked down at Zoe grinning. Knowing the answer but enjoying teasing her. Zoe shook her head at Max, eyes widening, there was no way she was going to admit to being in the room, even if Robyn didn't know who she was.

"Just the one mug I think" Max replied. Zoe could have murdered him, she didn't think it was possible that he could be any more obvious.

"Ok I'm coming in" Robyn said as Zoe quickly dived under the covers.

_'A little more warning would have been nice' _Zoe thought trying to steady her breahing and praying there was nothing that could give her away _'Nosy_.'

"Lofty!" Robyn suddenly exclaimed as Zoe heard a clutter.

_'Oh God, what's happened now? Why can't they just leave the room. Trust Robyn to be so interfering.' _Zoe thought, wondering how Max managed to keep anything at all from her.

_"_ Is he ok?" asked Max concerned.

"Does he look ok? Call an ambulance" Robyn ordered

Zoe froze, she couldn't just lie there hiding when Lofty was... well whatever was happening to him.

"Ok stay with him" Max told his sister, jumping out of bed and running out of the room to get a phone. Anything to make Max get out of bed must be serious and Zoe knew it. She was about the get up but hesitated when she heard Robyn's voice.

"Lofty come on" she whispered trying to revive him

_'Ok here goes'_ braced Zoe throwing the covers off of her and kneeling down next to Lofty. "Alright Lofty, it's Zoe. You're going to be ok" she told him. He was lying on the floor flickering in and out of consciousness. "What happened to him?" She asked

Robyn stared at her in shock.

"Robyn" Zoe prompted, bringing Robyn out of her comatose state.

"Right sorry" she shook her head trying to clear it "He just started fitting then went unconcious."

"Ok alright, his pulse is steady and he's stable but we do need an ambulance."

At that point Max returned to the room "One's on its way" he told them.

"Good" Zoe said "Max my kit is in my bag can you pass it to me please"

"On it"

It wasn't long before the ambulance arrived. Zoe, knowing Lofty was ok, left the room trying to avoid being seen by anyone else.

"You've done a good job here Robyn" said Dixie after sje had assessed him.

"There was a doctor here" she explained a grin cheekily growing across her face.

"Who?" Dixie frowned

Robyn welcomed the encouragement and opened her mouth the answer but Max quickly jumped in to stop her revealing anything. "Nobody you know" he said

"Just Max's latest fling" Robyn said and Max bowed his head sheepishly as Dixie laughed at him.

"Are you sure we don't know her?" Tamsin asked as they carried Lofty downstairs on the stretcher.

"I'm sure" he replied forcefully causing Robyn to press her lips tightly together to prevent herself from laughing.

"Ok whatever you say" Dixie said eyesbrows raised as she saw Robyn's expression.

At the point Lofty eyelids fluttered open

"Lofty!" Robyn cried "You're ok, you're going to be ok" she told him.

"What happened" he asked looking around at the paramedics.

"Well you sort of collapsed and went unconscious"

"Right" he said then added "Why was Zoe here, she's not a paramedic?"

Robyn couldn't refrain from bursting out laughing any longer and Dixie and Tamsin stared at Max.

"No way" Dixie exclaimed, a smile breaking out over her face.

"She wan't here mate" Max said carefully "You must have been imagining things"

"He wasn't completely unconcious though" Robyn pointed out. Max glared at her, daring her to say anything more.

"Well I never" said Dixie as they lifted the stretcher into the ambulance.

"Why what's going on?" asked Lofty

"Nothing" Max replied

"Looks like it" said Tamsin

"Yeah, yeah" said Max "I'll see you later" he turned away leaving Robyn to go in the ambulance with Lofty. He was not looking forward to his shift this afternoon.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Chapter 2 at last, sorry it took so long. I wrotr it at school last week then left it on the computer at school :-/**

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Zoe walked through the doors of the ED and looked around. It felt like everybody was staring at her and laughing at everything that had happened. She bowed her head shamefully as she walked past reception to her office, trying not to be seen by anybody.

'_Maybe Robyn hasn't told anybody'_ Zoe thought then immediately dismissed it "Don't be so naïve Zoe" she said out loud.

"Talking to yourself, first sign of madness" Connie told her as she came into their joint office.

"Mmm" murmured Zoe pretending to read some paperwork as she tried to find an underlying meaning to Connie's words.

"Everything ok?" Connie asked

"Yes why wouldn't it be?" Ok she definitely knew, Connie never asks how anyone is.

"You're reading those papers upside down"

Zoe hastily turned them the right way up "I thought it didn't make much sense, I'm due for my next eye appointment" she laughed.

Connie just eyed her suspiciously but didn't say anymore and it soon became apparent to Zoe that she was just being paranoid and Connie genuinely had no idea about her and Max. Surely she would have said something by now, wouldn't she?

Zoe knew deep down that it wouldn't be the worse thing in the world for everyone to find out about her and Max and it would actually be quite a relief knowing that they didn't have to constantly sneak around. She just didn't want people such as Tess judging her. Even though Tess probably couldn't think much worse of her than she already does considering she knew all abut the fifteen year old and Jess' husband Sean. In fact, being with Max was quite a normal relationship for her.

A knock on the door. Zoe looked up praying it wasn't who she thought it was. Not now not in front of Connie. Unfortunately for her, the day wasn't about to get any better.

"Just checking you're ok" Max said as he walked into the office.

Connie looked up her brows furrowed, wondering what on Earth Max was doing there. Max must have sensed Connie's movement because he glanced over at her and his eyes widened just for a second before he retained his usual cool calm exterior.

"With…the new equipment" he added carefully "Rita's asked me to check"

"Err yeah" said Zoe still in shock but trying to play along "I can work it"

"Oh she's not still going ahead with those training session is she?" Said Connie rhetorically "You'd think that she'd take a hint."

"I'll let her know then" Max nodded closing the door behind him.

Zoe breathed a sigh of relief, before remembering that with Robyn's track record it probably wouldn't be long before Connie found out anyway. Oh no! She had to share an office with that woman for goodness sake.

The door stood there suddenly and stood there once again was Max, Zoe tensed up again _'What does he want now?'_

"Sorry just thought I better let you know: we had to call an ambulance for Lofty and he's been brought in."

"Is he ok, what happened?" asked Connie

"He just sort of collapsed and then started fitting, but he's come round now"

"Yeah but he's ok because there was a doctor at the scene" said Dixie who had stuck her head through the door. Max ignored her other than rolling his eyes but Zoe looked up at Dixie panicked. The look of astonishment written across her face would have given her away even if Dixie didn't know what had happened.

"Who?" Connie asked confused

"Not sure" said Dixie but that didn't ease Zoe's fears for a second, and for good reason "Heard you had a late night though Zoe" Dixie continued looking at her "Hope you had a good time"

Max cast his eyes downwards avoiding looking at Zoe.

"And how did you hear that?" asked Zoe, if she was in an awkward position because of Max she was going to turn the situation around.

"I've got to go" Max said turning around quickly and nearly knocking Dixie over.

"Well I'll leave you to it" said Dixie looking pointedly at Zoe before following Max.

"What was that about?" asked Connie still oblivious.

Zoe sighed "No idea" she answered. Fortunately Connie didn't ask anymore questions and went back to work. _'No'_ thought Zoe _'this wasn't a good start to the day.'_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Chapter 3 here :D hope you enjoy!**

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"I'm getting a bit fed up with Zoe always walking in late. It's not even as if she's clinical lead anymore" Tess complained quietly to Rita as they walked out of one of the cubicles.

"She wasn't that late, she was here before Robyn at least" answered Rita

"Yes but that wasn't Robyn's fault was it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Haven't you heard?" Tess asked and Rita looked up curiously "They had to call for an ambulance for Lofty this morning, he just collapsed apparently. He's alright now though, just a bit shaken up"

"I had no idea" said Rita shocked "Now I understand what Dixie meant when she said there was a doctor there but he's ok. She must have been talking about Lofty. Where is he?"

"He's over in cubicle 4 now I think" Tess told her

"Thanks" she turned around and started heading towards the cubicle but Max bashed into her

"Whoa slow down" she told him "It's a hospital not a playground"

"Sorry, you've not seen Robyn have you?"

"No, not since this morning. I was just on my way to see Lofty I heard he collapsed"

"Yeah he just went down and started fitting. I'm not really sure what it was"

"Lucky the doctor was there then"

"Yeah…wait what?"

"Someone said he got immediate attention because there was a doctor there. Anyone we know?"

"No it's not" he replied shortly "Sorry I've really got to go" he left Rita with Lofty and continued walking down the corridor determined to find Robyn before she blabbed to anymore people.

Just as he'd given up hope her saw her walking round the corner pushing a wheelchair. "Robyn!" he called

"Not now Max I'm with a patient."

"Yeah I can see that, but I'm the porter" he said grabbing the wheelchair

"She needs a nurse so I've got to go anyway" she explained

"Good that means we can have a nice little chat along the way"

"About Zoe" she said biting her cheek to prevent from laughing.

"Please can you not spread it around; for her sake more than mine"

"I've not told anyone"

"Dixie, Rita even Connie nearly found out"

"I didn't tell Dixie she found out for herself, I haven't even spoken to Rita all morning and I've not idea what you're talking about with Connie."

"Oh come Robyn, Rita knows there was a doctor in the house this morning so somebody must have told her"

"Well I'm not the only one who knows am I"

"Dixie's been out all day, Lofty's been unconscious, I hardly think Zoe is going to have told anybody and it wasn't me"

"Well it wasn't me either so stop pestering me about it" she said grabbing the wheelchair and marching off.

Max sighed, why didn't she just admit it - everyone knows she's the biggest gossip in the ED. She told every single person when she saw Zoe's shoes so it's obvious she will tell everybody about this. Besides who else could it be?

The rest of the day passed really slowly for Max. He just wanted it to be over so he knew that no one else could find out today and so he could apologise to Zoe. He could have just gone to her office but Connie was in there, he felt guilty enough about barging in this morning. They were both going to have to be more careful especially now that Robyn knew and she could tell anybody at any time. Unless…unless it was out in the open. Max allowed himself a wishful moment, imagining how great it would be if they didn't have to sneak around and hide. He quickly erased the idea. He'd asked her a million times already if they could just tell people but she didn't want to. Maybe now though she would, maybe she'd think it was better if all the staff heard it from them rather than through Robyn's rumours. Either way they were going to find out sooner or later whether she liked it or not.

He found Zoe in their normal smoking spot at the end of his shift.

"Hey"

"Go away Max"

"Look I'm sorry you know I didn't want-

"Max I said go away. Everyone will be even more suspicious if we're seen talking to each other"

"So you're not mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad?" He decided not to answer that question and leaned in to give her a kiss but she dodged it. "But I will be in a minute" she added "If you don't leave right now"

"Alright" he shrugged turning away. Zoe sighed, she felt bad enough that she wouldn't let him tell anybody. He just had this way of shrugging things off like they don't matter, without getting annoyed.

"Max…" she called and he turned around "I'm sorry"

"Come round later" he said

"But Robyn…"

"She already knows, and anyway I think she'll be staying with Lofty tonight"

"How is he I've not been to see him, I didn't want to risk him remembering anything when he saw me"

"Too late, he already knows. He was the one who told Dixie to be honest-

"So Dixie does know!

"Err yeah sorry about that"

Zoe sighed and through her cigarette on the ground "I'll see you later" she said turning away and walking back towards the ED. Max watched her walk away regretfully, he wasn't going to let this come between them.


End file.
